Not a single cop trained by US so far

ISLAMABAD The permanent presence of the US counter-terrorism personnel in Sihala Police Training College premises despite doing nothing for well over past six months, has become a matter of serious concern for all the quarters concerned. Their overt presence in the college premises is also posing serious security threat and in the given circumstances the college management is contented with taking 'adequate security measures instead of doing any productive job. Sources said that a large part of Sihala College had been under the use of the US counter-terrorism training personnel who had installed their camp in 2003 in order to train Pakistani security officials. Now the camp has been closed as they (the US trainers) have not trained even a single person for the last six months sources added. The sources said that a huge cache of explosive material has been stored in the college by the Americans. They have a number of containers and no one is allowed to check them, sources said. Sources said that Islamabad police had twice requested the higher authorities to shift the American camp to some other place owing to security reasons but no step has so far been taken in that connection and the camp, which had totally turned redundant is still intact posing serious threat to the entire vicinity. Meanwhile, a delegation of lawyers belonging to Rawalpindi District Bar (RDB) could not succeed in entering Sihala Police Training College in order to examine the presence of the American nationals in college premises as black coats were stopped at the main gate by authorities concerned. Lawyers were of the view that they had serious reservations about the American nationals presence in the college premises, which is situated at a short distance from Khan Research Laboratories (KRL), and they wanted to examine the college to find facts about Americans residing in the premises of Police Training College. Black coats after being denied entry to the premises kept standing in front of colleges gate (no 4) as mark of protest. Speaking on the occasion they said they would hold rally from Rawalpindi to Sihala College as a protest as according to them being Pakistani nationals they had the right to find the status and functions of Americans who are residing in such a sensitive place. They said that the national media and even the management of the college also questioned the presence of Americans in the colleges premises. They said though earlier, it was only apprehended that Americans residing in the college were involved in monitoring the countrys nuclear assets, yet after steps as denying entry to delegation of Rawalpindi Bar their reservations had been confirmed. The delegation was led by President Rawalpindi District Bar Ch Toufiq Asif and comprising 32 members. Talking to TheNation President RDB said before coming they had asked the authorities of the college that lawyers besides other country fellows had serious concerns about the presence of Americans in the college and wanted a briefing from authorities concerned in that regard. He said those at the helm of the affairs of the college told them that they had no authority to give a briefing about the Americans presence in the college premises. Toufiq Asif said on the refusal, the delegation visited the training centre as being a Pakistani nationals they had the right to visit Police Training College. President RDB said that Federal Minister for Interior was claiming that Americans residing in college were giving training to police but at the same time people of the country had serious reservations about the Americans presence in the college, which is not far away from the KRL.